St. Carlo Acutis and the Special Needs Community, by Jenn Leja
The prayer of St. Carlo Acutis begins,
“Oh God, Our Father,
thank you for giving us Carlo,
a life example for the young
and a message of love for everyone.”
The devotion to St. Carlo Acutis is important for special needs families. Just as the prayer begins, he is a great example for young people and his “love for everyone” is a message of inclusion of disabled people.
While St. Carlo Acutis has been known as the patron saint of the internet, I also think of him as a saint to pray to for children with disabilities and children who are medically fragile.
Did you know?
- St. Carlo Acutis was known for standing up for kids with disabilities who were bullied in school.
- He used technology to bring people to Christ. He created a website documenting Eucharistic miracles throughout the world.
- He died from a form of leukemia. In his hospital bed, he offered his suffering to the Pope and the Church.
- The first miracle taken into consideration for the beatification of St. Carlo Acutis was a young boy in Brazil whose pancreas was malformed. The young boy was hospitalized frequently, but through the intercession of St. Carlo Acutis, he was healed.
How does my daughter relate to Carlo Acutis? He used technology to bring others closer to Jesus. My daughter uses an AAC device to communicate. When I’m teaching her, I always think about how I can help her communicate her faith. I add words relating to the Catholic faith as we tackle different subjects.
One of my favorite quotes of St. Carlo Acutis is: “All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies.” He believed everyone was unique and possessed their own unique gifts from God.
I’ve learned to see the gifts my daughter brings by virtue of her big personality. She’s an original and she doesn’t care what other people think. She brings joy to others simply by being herself.
I see students who go out of their way to walk and talk with my daughter at the end of the school day; they always have a big smile on their face from their interaction. Even though she can’t speak, it’s clear that others are made joyful in her presence. I like to think her quiet inner beauty spreads the message of the peace and serenity of Christ—a tiny reflection of the efforts of St. Carlo Acutis to spread that same message through his internet evangelization and his personal advocacy for his disabled peers.
Below are some resources that you can use as a family to learn more about St. Carlo Acutis:
Coloring pages and printables:
- Crafty Catholic Moms has a interactive Novena your family can pray together- Family novena
- Crafty Catholic Moms has a free laptop craft printable
- Look to Him and Be Radiant has coloring pages that include facts and a biography
- Look to Him and Be Radiant has a research guide worksheet. This could be used with St. Carlo Acutis’ website.
- St. Carlos Acutis’ website showing Eucharistic miracles (I would suggest that parents preview the Eucharistic miracles you plan to use to be sure they are appropriate for your child).
YouTube videos about the life of St. Carlo Acutis:
- Spirit Juice kids- What’s the story of Blessed Carlo Acutis? | Saintly Creatures Book
- Lego video- The INCREDIBLE Life of Carlo Acutis- Lego
- Servus Dei video- Carlo Acutis: The First Millennial Saint | Catholic Kid Story
Other articles:
- EWTN. (2024, November 20). 10 things you should know about Blessed Carlo Acutis.
- Official website of Carlo Acutis. Carlo Acutis Official Prayer.
- Swan, Billy. (2024, August 5). Carlo Acutis the First Millennial Saint.
What are some of your child’s gifts? How can they share their gifts with others? St. Carlo Acutis, pray for us!